National Geographic photog visits J-School

photo by Ryan Brennecke

National Geographic photographer Bill Allard shows J-School students one of the many tricks he has learned over the years: placing a band-aid on his flash to help diffuse its output, which gives the light a more natural look.

By ANNE E. PETTINGER
J-School Web Reporter

A well-known National Geographic staff photographer’s first big break came in a bar, he told a group of UM photojournalism students during a visit to the School of Journalism last month.

William Albert Allard, who in the mid-1960s was the second intern ever at Geographic, was asked early in his career to try to gain access to an Amish community in Pennsylvania after a more seasoned photographer came back from the same assignment empty-handed.

Allard’s strategy was simple, he said. He bought a used pair of coveralls, selected the oldest car in the Geographic fleet to drive and went to a bar. It was while drinking a beer there that Allard met a man who proved to be his inside link to the community. 

“I didn’t go to the [church] bishop; I went to the bar,” Allard said.

Now, after more than three decades of working for the popular magazine, Allard is still shooting photographs in communities where access is often difficult.

In Montana, he’s worked on several stories for the magazine; one of his first big pieces, about a Hutterite community in the state, was published in 1969. In a return to those early days, he’s currently working on another project about a Hutterite colony near Stanford.

“These people are like family to me now,” Allard said.

Allard’s photographs drew a standing-room only crowd to the School of Journalism for a slide show Nov. 3. In addition to his current project, Allard showed slides from a recent story on Bollywood and a collection of portraits of women. 

Bollywood photos
Celluloid diva Preity Zinta heads to a set of the film "Veer-Zaara."	Autograph seekers mob heartthrob Shah Rukh Khan, a Muslim who has become the biggest star in largely Hindu India.
photos © 2005 William Albert Allard, National Geographic Society

In both the evening slide show and afternoon photojournalism classes, Allard told students that his greatest wish for them has nothing to do with money. Rather, he hopes they will be able to earn their living doing what they love. “There are not many people who can say that,” Allard said.

After more than four decades as a photojournalist, Allard still feels lucky to be enjoying his job. “It’s not about the money,” Allard said. “It’s about loving the work.”

Allard, who was raised in Minnesota and lives in Virginia, joined National Geographic after graduating from the University of Minnesota. He previously was a member of Magnum Photos, a cooperative of photographers who set out to chronicle the world.

For students, seeing Allard’s photographs and learning about his career path was inspiring. Senior photojournalism student Garret W. Smith was most impressed with Allard’s motivation, he said. 

“His ambition to become better and rise to the top was awesome,” Smith said.

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